Most people are very careful when it comes to selecting items they are purchasing such as shoes or clothes but when it comes to the Realtor they use to make one of the largest purchases they will ever make in their lives, they haphazardly just take whom ever they happen to get on the phone. Wow, it really surprises me. Or another common mistake is that they “don’t want to be tied down by a Realtor” so they browse online all weekend, and then go drive around and call the number on the sign of any home they might be interested in. There are several aspects of this type of a home search that can get you into trouble and non-Realtors don’t realize it. First of all, if you are calling the Listing Agent, he/she is happy to help you (they will write your contract up for whatever price you ask them to) but by law they do not represent you. That’s right, as nice as they seem to be, he/she has a contract to represent the Seller and the Sellers interest only, not yours. As a Buyer, you deserve representation and it could be yours FREE, yes, the Seller pays for your representation. Would you go to court without a lawyer? Why do people choose to make the largest investment of their lives without representation? Another problem is that the information you find online is limited. Realtors are able to fill you in on ALL of the properties that could be a possibility for you. If you are looking online, a lot of the time the listings are not updated, and what you are seeing is yesterday’s news. Or the pictures don’t show the new Toll Road that happens to be right behind the home. If you have a good, seasoned Realtor they will be able to show you all of your options, explain to you the pros and cons of each property, and be able to provide a market analysis for you so that you will be very confident that the deal you are getting is the best deal. On my first visit with my Clients, I like to sit down with them and kind of get to know the family, discuss what their needs are, where they work, where they spend most of their time, and what they are looking for in a home, and go from there to assist them in finding and purchasing their dream home at the best possible price. We also sign a contract between us, saying that I will work for them to get them the best home and the best possible price, and they in turn will be loyal to me. That’s the way it should be, right? Please, select a Realtor who is right for you, and go ahead, "tie yourself down" and have the representation you deserve.